The below is a breakdown of the Squads
- Squad Size – 16 (firm) – Minimum 3 Elite and Minimum 1 U21 players, remaining 12 players can be any combination of tiers and age groups.
- Pre-drafts – Each team gets to pick 8 players ahead of the drafts (Minimum 1 mandatory U21)
- Drafts – Remaining 8 players are drafted (Can be any combination of U21’s or Men’s)
Below is a breakdown of the draft format –
- Each Team is allowed to submit 8 Pre-Draft picks (Deadline – February 25th),
- These 8 Pre-drafted players per team (8×10 = total 80 players) will be withdrawn from the draft pool
- Pre-draft picks need to include a minimum of ONE U21 players
- After submitting 8 pre draft picks, each team will be drafting an additional 8 players at the drafts which will complete their squad of 16.
- At the end of the drafts, each Franchise Team squad should satisfy the Squad formation of 16 as per the clause listed in the section above (breakdown of squads).
Player Grading (Tournament Fee) –
- Elite (1500 USD) – USA capped players, MLC contracted players, Players formerly capped with an Associate Nation in ICC approved Tournaments, Players who have formerly represented a Nation with Test Playing Status at the International Level in ODIs/Tests/T20Is or First Class Level.
- Platinum (1000 USD) – Part of a MILC Franchise Team as of the 2025 season squads, were part of USA U19 national team at the U19 World Cup’s 2024 or 2026.
- Gold (500 USD) – Playing in city level leagues
Player Contracts and Financial Obligations –
1. Pre-drafted Player Agreements– Pre-drafted players are strongly encouraged to execute a formal contract with their respective Franchises. All terms, conditions, and financial arrangements therein are strictly private matters between the Player and the Franchise. The Houston Open serves as a neutral party and assumes no liability, oversight, or responsibility regarding the negotiation, arbitration, or resolution of disputes arising from these private contracts.
2. Drafted Player Remuneration– Players entering the draft shall be remunerated strictly in accordance with the established Grading and Payout Structure defined above. No requests for additional payouts, bonuses, or reimbursements will be entertained. Franchises are prohibited from offering, and players are prohibited from soliciting, compensation beyond the designated Tournament Fee associated with the player’s assigned grade.
3. Travel and Logistics for Non-Resident Players– For all drafted players residing outside the Greater Houston Area, the Franchise assumes full responsibility for providing the following:
- Standard economy class airfare/travel.
- Suitable boarding and lodging for the duration of the player’s tournament participation.
4. Conduct and Disciplinary Actions Any non-compliance with these financial terms or the solicitation of unauthorized monetary requests by a drafted player shall be deemed a material violation of the Houston Open Code of Conduct. Such violations will result in immediate disqualification from the tournament. In the event of disqualification under this section, the Franchise’s obligation to provide any outstanding payments to the player shall be null and void.
5. Timely Disbursement of Fees The Franchise is strictly obligated to ensure that all tournament fees and financial dues owed to drafted players are settled in full within 10 days of the conclusion of the Franchise’s final match in the Houston Open (inclusive of Group Stages, Semi-Finals or the Grand Final).
Match Day Playing XI –
- Minimum 1 Mandatory Under 21
- A named 12th man
- 1 Impact Player is allowed.